'MDC-T broke after Tsvangirai-Gumbura engaged in prostitution with its funds'

MORGAN Tsvangirai – or Gumbura as the rival Renewal Team has taken to calling him – used party funds to pay lobola for his women and bankrupted the MDC-T with his playboy lifestyle, his adversaries claimed Sunday.

The former premier's excesses cost the opposition party dearly in last year’s elections as there was no money for campaigning against a cash rich Zanu PF.

Addressing party structures at Bulawayo's Stanley Square, Renewal Team leader, Samuel Sipepa Nkomo, blamed the former prime minister for the MDC-T’s woeful performance in last year’s elections.

Sipepa Nkomo claimed that Tsvangirai used party funds to pay lobola (bride price) for his wife of 21 days, Locardia Karimatsenga.

When the Renewal Team holds its congress, the party should elect a team player as leader not individuals who consider themselves a demi gods.

"That president must be God fearing and not a man of many women and prostitutes," said Sipepa Nkomo.

"God does not condone prostitution. When you become too proud, God puts you down but when you humble yourself, God raises you.

"When you become leaders, do not borrow money from the party to pay for concubines. We were there and we know what we are talking about. He (Tsvangirai) paid lobola for Lorcadia (Karimatsenga) with money from the party."

Tsvangirai married Karimatsenga in November 2012 but ended the union with a huge cash pay-off before the month was out, claiming the secret service had got involved.

Financing Tsvangirai’s playboy lifestyle bankrupted the MDC-T as it went into last year’s elections without any money while Zanu PF boasted a huge war chest.

Sipepa Nkomo accused Tsvangirai of personalising the party and ignoring advice from his lieutenants.

"Members of Parliament were given $700 while councillors were only given $100. The money had been used to pay for concubines," he said.

The former premier was also said to have become obsessed with power and so arrogant he ignored advice not to participate in the elections.

"We were too proud, we were there before we got there," said the former cabinet minister. "When we were at a rally at White City last year, his wife (Elizabeth) Macheka told him not to take people for granted but some woman (MDC-T deputy president Thokozani Khupe) at the same rally said come August 1, I and Morgan Richard Tsvangirai we will be entering State House. Where are they now?"

Douglas Mwonzora, spokesman for the Tsvangirai group dismissed the allegations as utter rubbish. "That is utter rubbish. To show that they have nothing to do, they spend their time denigrating and debranding Morgan Tsvangirai.

"Instead of concentrating on their party programmes, they waste time making baseless accusations against Tsvangirai," he said.

Meanwhile, Renewal Team secretary general and former finance minister, Tendai Biti, said the 15 years of Tsvangirai's leadership of the party had been a waste.

"We are saying 'NO' to 15 years wasted in a post liberation movement," said Biti who described the MDC-T's Harvest House offices as a headquarters of gossip.

"He (Tsvangirai) has a self-destruct machine that at a time when things are going good, he presses it and everything falls apart. Leaders should know when their time is up," Biti said.